


Living In A Dream

by jacobjallen



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: (even though I do like Noah), Alternate Universe, Gen, Happy Ending, M/M, Mild Gore, Minor Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Nightmares, Scott is a Bad Friend, Sheriff Stilinski's Name is John, With A Twist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2016-12-11
Packaged: 2018-09-07 19:54:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8814181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jacobjallen/pseuds/jacobjallen
Summary: Stiles should've stayed in bed today. The pack throw a graduation party and everything goes to hell. Or rather, hell comes to them.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kaistrex (weishen)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/weishen/gifts).



> This ficlet/drabble/nonsense is my Sterek Secret Santa gift to Kai (kaistrex/weishen), and admittedly it is the first thing I've ever published here on AO3. I had this going in a different direction originally, an elaborate plot written down on countless colored post-its with twists and way too much of a backstory to build before I even got to the good stuff, before inspiration struck in a way to make this much simpler.
> 
> If you hate this, I apologize. I probably hate it too.
> 
> If you want to know what music I listened to on constant repeat as I wrote this, I made an [accompanying playlist](http://8tracks.com/ivebeenjake/living-in-a-dream).

“I should’ve stayed in bed today.”

Scott smirked. Lydia cocked an eyebrow, unamused.

“What? I could not be feeling well, and you need your beauty sleep when you’re sick.”

Lydia shoved a package of streamers against his chest. “Nice try. Go hang these up.”

The pack were in the preserve, setting up a surprise graduation party for Liam, Hayden, Mason, and Corey. It had been three years since Scott, Stiles, Lydia, and Malia had graduated, and it was the first time they'd all been together since then. Scott had studied at Beacon County Community College and was now working full time at the veterinarian’s office. Lydia was accepted into Yale and Malia left to travel the country on her own. Lydia came home at every holiday and regularly kept in touch. Malia sent the occasional postcard.

And Stiles? Stiles knew college was for him. Sure, he was smart. Extremely smart. He matched Lydia at almost every subject. He could work his way around any equation placed in front of him. Hell, he could even crank out a ten page paper on the state of the economy and its correlation to the Byzantine empire. But to continue on with two, four, even six more years of education was the least appealing thing to him. He had dreams of one day becoming a crime scene investigator or even a police detective, but as the years went on and more supernatural threats came their way, Stiles wasn’t sure.

For now, he had been training and studying with Deaton, learning everything he could about becoming an emissary; more specifically, a druid. He always suspected there was something about him. A spark, Deaton called it. Now seemed like the opportune time to explore what that meant and what he could do with it. Lydia was supportive, offering whatever help she could give all the way from the opposite coast. Scott, not so much. To this day, Scott was still overprotective of Stiles, not wanting him to get too deep into something that could lead to danger. Stiles assured him he would be just fine, he was a big boy; he could look after himself now.

Something was off, though. Their friendship. They all had the same thought, yet nobody would speak of how they were slowly drifting apart. Stiles had felt that way towards Scott ever since they had sacrificed themselves to save their parents; when the Nogitsune invaded Stiles’ consciousness; when he killed Allison. Then Theo Raeken came back to Beacon Hills and drove the wedge deeper, ripping the pack apart one by one. Scott and Stiles’ friendship had been deteriorating little by little as the years went on.

“Hey, you okay?”

Stiles snapped back to reality, Scott looking at him with that puppy dog look on his face, smirk slowly moving up one side of his face.

“Yeah...yeah, I’m fine. Help me with these?” Stiles asked as he tore open the package of neon colored streamers.

***

“Why are Liam and Hayden up in that tree?” Lydia asked, cocking her head to the side, a solo cup of god-knows-what in her hand. Stiles and Scott stood there looking up.

“Mason bet Liam that Hayden was faster than he was.” Stiles explained.

“They’re causing a scene.” Scott muttered.

Stiles clapped him on the shoulder. “Ah, lighten up, Scotty boy. They’re big kids now. They’ve gotta make their own mistakes. Right?”

Scott, still looking up at his betas, squinted his eyes but nodded. “Yeah. You’re right.”

Stiles went to throw back his cup, with just a drop hitting his tongue. “I need a refill. Anyone?”

“I’m good.” Lydia responded. Scott didn’t answer. Stiles rolled his eyes and walked over to the tent where the food and beverages were, along with the older adults, a.k.a. his dad and Scott’s mom. Melissa was laughing hysterically as his father was in the middle of what was probably yet another one of his embarrassing childhood stories.

“What’s so funny?” he asked, filling his cup from the keg Malia not-so-secretly snuck in.

John chuckled as Melissa attempted to catch her breath. “I was telling Melissa about the time when you were 7 and you watched the Superman movie for the first time, and how obsessed with him you were. Until you jumped out of your bedroom window wearing a red towel around your neck and broke your arm.”

Melissa started laughing again. Stiles suspected whatever was in her own solo cup played a part in her giggles.

“After your mom and I explained that you weren’t a superhero, you were so upset. Then you discovered Batman, and the rest is history.”

Stiles put his arm around his dad’s neck and patted him on the stomach. “Just do me a favor. Keep eating the good, green, and healthy stuff, so that you can live a long life and I really won’t become like Batman.”

John turned to look Stiles in the eyes. “I’m not going anywhere, kiddo.”

Melissa smiled fondly as Stiles pulled his dad in for a hug. “Good. Now be good parental chaperones and turn a blind eye to what may or may not be going on.”

Lydia came walking up as John opened his mouth to undoubtedly scold him, but everyone turned when a loud growl echoed through the trees. Stiles turned to look back where everyone else was, Scott already in a defensive stance, his eyes glowing crimson and his claws already extended. “That’s Malia.”

Stiles ran towards his jeep as Liam and Hayden both leapt down from the treetop. “Something smells...off.” Liam said. “There’s wolves...and coyotes out there, but...there’s something else too.”

Hayden scrunched her nose up in disgust. “It smells like...charred flesh?”

Scott turned to John and Melissa, the sheriff’s gun already unholstered and loaded. “Get everyone out of here. And call Parrish. I have a feeling we’re going to need everyone we can get.”

***

The next thirty minutes were just explosive chaos.

As soon as Stiles ran back up with his baseball bat clutched in his hand, over a dozen different feral wolves and coyotes flew through the air from all directions. Liam, Malia, and Hayden were tackled to the ground, all in mid-shift with their claws and fangs extended. Teenagers scattered as Melissa did her best to get everyone to safety, all the while trying not to get tackled herself. He swung his bat at anything that came near him, flinching as the sound of solid wood colliding with cracking bones and distraught whines filled his ears.

His dad stood with his back against a tree, taking aim as best as he could without hitting any of the pack. Scott and Lydia stood in front of Mason and Corey, claws and banshee screams barely holding the animals at bay. Tables were overturned, the poles of the tent above them collapsing, the decorations shredded to pieces as they seemingly were suspended in midair, never falling to the ground.

Malia screamed out at some point, falling to the ground as her calf was caught in the jaws of a large grey wolf. With her other foot, she kicked the heel of her boot as hard as she could against its skull. As she attempted to stand, something incredibly fast collided into her from behind, tackling her to the ground yet again. Liam charged at their new opponent, unsuccessful as he was punched in the chest and thrown against the trunk of a tree.

The volume of its roar made everyone jump as the wolves and coyotes retreated to circle around their leader.

Malia was the first to break the silence. “Oh my god.”

Scott’s eyes returned to their normal color as he helped her to her feet. “Theo.”

If Lydia thought Peter Hale looked horribly disfigured all those years ago, he had nothing on the scars and mangled flesh that was now the shell of Theo Raeken. The rumor from Kira’s mother was that the skinwalkers assisted his dead sister in opening the earth and dragged him to hell, but now… it looked as if he had finally clawed his way back.

Before anyone could react, the wolves and coyotes rushed the pack again.

***

Stiles shouted in pain as sharp teeth sunk into his forearm, his blood-covered bat dropping to the ground as he jerked away as fast as he could. With a wolf on one side and a coyote on the other, he was unsure of which one bit him. His bat laid past them, just out of his reach. Before he could decide whether or not he was going to run for it, the two animals yelped in pain as something hard collided with their flanks. Mason and Corey materialize out of thin air, each holding onto a broken pole from the tent that was set up. Corey picked up Stiles’ bat and handed it to him.

Then Stiles froze in absolute terror, as a blood curdling scream rang throughout the forest. A scream belonging to his father.

Across from him on the other side of the chaos was his father, dangling inches above the ground against a tree with Theo’s claws embedded in his stomach. Before Stiles could move, something fast and ablaze barreled past him, colliding with the rabid canines. Theo dropped the sheriff as he attempted to ready himself, but Parrish was faster as he grabbed Theo around the neck and brutally slammed against a tree trunk.

Adrenaline surging through him, Stiles bobbed and weaved his way through the mess, Melissa already at his side. She pulled his father’s shirt open and Stiles had to look away, bile already rising in his throat. “Give me your flannel.” Melissa ordered quietly yet calmly. “I need to cover this and apply pressure.”

After a barrage of fiery fists to Theo’s face, Parrish was pulled off of him from his wild pack of mutts, and Theo turned towards Lydia. He was...insane. Out of control. A crazed look in his eyes. Theo was out for bloodlust.

Lydia stood frozen as he charged towards her, but she fell to her knees as the banshee took over and her deafening scream resonated, Theo falling over backwards with his hands clutched against his ears, blood pouring down the sides of his neck.

The animals ran back into the woods and the pack didn't hesitate for a second. Parrish and Liam, closest to Theo jumped onto Theo, Parrish grabbing his legs as Liam grabbed one of his arms. Hayden reached for the other, but Theo was faster. He clawed swiftly in her direction, and she stumbled backwards, clutching onto her own neck. Her eyes bulged as she coughed, the golden hue draining from them, blood spewing out of her mouth as she fell to the ground.

“NOOOOO!!! You son of a bitch!!!” Liam roared. Mason and Corey grabbed Theo’s arms before he could move and Scott grabbed Liam around his torso before Liam could sink his claws into him.

“Liam! Stop!” Scott shouted as his beta thrashed against him. “ _Stop!!!_ ”

Hayden slumped to the ground and Liam clocked Scott in the chin with his elbow, breaking free from his hold before he grabbed her in his arms.

“Stiles.” Melissa quietly breathed out. “He’s not going to make it.”

“Don’t say that.” he pointed to Melissa, gritting his teeth. “Don’t you DARE say that.”

“Scott!” Liam yelled. “She’s not healing!”

Lydia came up behind Stiles. “Someone get a car. We can get him to the hospital. Hayden, too.”

“On it.” Malia called, running for the clearing where everyone was parked.

Melissa turned to Lydia. “I don’t think we can.”

Stiles turned to look at Scott, his eyes searching for a miracle. “Scott! Scott, please! He… he needs the bite!”

“I can’t get the blood to stop. He’s losing too much, too fast.” Melissa said, trying to hold her hands over John’s multiple torso wounds.

“Hayden! Hayden, hold on!” Liam cried.

“I know I said we never wanted it, but you know I would never ask if he didn’t absolutely need it. C’mon, buddy. You _have_ to do this. Please.”

Scott stood still, his eyes wide with fear, not knowing where to look, from Hayden bleeding profusely from her neck, to John laid in Melissa’s arm, weakly coughing. Stiles held onto the collar of his shirt.

“What are you waiting for?!? Scott! SCOTT!!!”

Scott turned to Stiles, tears in his eyes. “Stiles, I… I can’t…”

“What do you mean _you can’t_?!? Stop fucking around, just — bite him! He’s going to die!”

“If it doesn’t take, I can’t… I can’t…”

Stiles shoved Scott with every ounce of strength he had, tears streaming down his face, bloodied handprints staining Scott’s shirt. “Don’t be an asshole! Just fucking _DO IT!!!_ ”

Scott couldn’t tear his face away from the Sheriff’s, frozen in fear. John coughed again, and Stiles was immediately at his side. He grabbed his hand, squeezing it to let his father know he was there.

“Just hold on, dad. You’re going to be okay. We’re gonna get you out of here.”

John opened his eyes and moved his other hand to cup his son’s face. “Stiles, it’s okay…” he breathed, his eyes closing. “...with everything you have done… I am so proud of you…”

Stiles sobbed. “Don’t, dad. Stay with me.”

John’s eyes slowly fluttered. “I love you, son…”

“Dad…” Stiles barely choked out. “Please…”

Time stood still as Stiles felt his father stop breathing, desperately squeezing his hand as he felt his hold give way. Lydia cried quietly behind him, her hand on Stiles’ shoulder. Nobody spoke for what seemed like hours, until Scott broke the silence.

“Stiles, I —”

“Shut the fuck up.” Stiles said. He quickly stood up and turned around, pointing his finger at Scott’s face. “Shut. The fuck. UP.”

He shoved Scott with all his strength, Scott stumbling backwards without any resistance. “You did this!” Shove. “After EVERYTHING we’ve been through!” Shove. “You just stood there and you let him die!!!”

His fists clenched and unclenched in fury, not knowing what to do. He looked around, his eyes drifting over his father; to Lydia and Melissa, crying softly as they held each other; to Malia as she stood beside of the kids’ idling car; to Liam still holding on to Hayden’s lifeless body, to Parrish and the boys holding down a struggling Theo.

With tears falling down his face, Stiles slowly walked over to Theo, picking up one of the poles Corey and Mason had used earlier. Clutched in one of his hands, six fingers wrapped around the cold metal, he raised it up above his head, ready to stab it down towards Theo’s heart.

“Go back to hell, you motherfucker.”

***

Stiles gave half a laugh. “And then I drove it through his chest and he choked on blood pouring from his mouth.”

“You need to stop eating half a package of Oreo’s before bed. Maybe less horror movies, too.”

“Six fingers. That’s when I knew. Right before I woke up.” Stiles pushed himself up against his pillows. “You know what scared me most? It wasn’t the fact that my subconscious seemed to have built up this idiotic alternative universe, where Scott would just let my father die, where Hayden and Boyd and Erica and Aiden were dead, or that it seemed to be my fault that Allison had died, or that Isaac and Jackson were both out of the country… we couldn't be that lucky…”

“Focus.”

Stiles’ breath hitched in his chest. “…it was that you weren’t there. I had Scott and Lydia and Malia there with me, but I felt… alone.”

Derek reached forward and wiped away a tear from Stiles’ eye he didn’t know was there. “I would never leave you.” He grabbed one of Stiles’ hands and kissed slowly, his soft lips brushing over each finger. “Five. Not a dream.”

Stiles leaned over and kissed Derek softly, relaxing from the feel of his beard brushing against his skin.

Derek slid a hand down to Stiles’ lower back and pulled him closer, the other brushing the bangs off of Stiles’ forehead. “Feeling better?”

“Yeah…” Stiles whispered.

He rolled over and settled against Derek as he spooned him, staring out the loft window. His father was alive. Hayden was alive. Theo was still (unfortunately) alive. Everything was okay.

“I even had a great witty one-liner right before I murdered Theo.”

“It’s three in the morning. Go back to sleep.”

Stiles scoffed before closing his eyes. “Good night to you too, sourwolf.”

**Author's Note:**

> I based the dream somewhat in canon a few years after season 6, without knowing where it's actually going.
> 
> Although I didn't tag it, no one mentioned actually died or left or disappeared in this AU.
> 
> If I missed a tag or you think I should add one, please let me know. And if by some miracle you don't hate this, come find me on [Tumblr](http://ivebeenjake.tumblr.com).


End file.
